Telling Stories
by Gracefully Falling
Summary: A new name for AHoLaS, name inspired by the song Telling Stories by Tracy Chapman. Is about how a Slytherin and a Gryffindor come together and overcome all the odds to be together. But will love be enough? SiriusLesley fic.
1. First Glances

I have decided to revise these first few chapters that I have created in this story only because a few of the reviews that I have received seem to make me think it would be wise ... not sure what all to think about the Mary-Sue issue going on, because I don't understand the whole concept of the girl in the first place. Just to put all things out in the open (no anger involved, just thought I'd help out the people out there who can't decide much on their own) if you don't like a story---- don't read it. Unless of course you find pleasure in reading stories you don't like from the start, which I find a bit thick headed ... but if you do enjoy it, by all means, please do.   
  
Anyway, I myself have found these first few chapters of mine haven't been as informative as I've wanted them to be, so therefore I make the decision to rewrite them in hopes of making it more ... gripping when other people as well as I read it...  
  
So I present to you the newly rewritten first chapter (which I have also renamed) called First Glances. Anyone interested in the message behind the title will be happy to know that in the credits I will give you a reason to all of them (I'm a rambler, yes I know).   
  
I hope that all of you that have followed this story along so far will accept my decision to rewrite it, as I only want to make it better.  
  
Feel free to express your opinions by e-mailing or reviewing :)  
  
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"Why do you push her so hard, Tom? She's just a little girl, she hasn't even started her first year at Hogwarts yet, and already your ripping her head off!" The woman yelled, her thin, weak body storming around the dark house, chocolate eyes burning with anger.   
  
"She's weak to me, Rosa. You bore me only one child and yet you manage to bare me a useless girl with no backbone. I saw it in her eyes the day she was born, she'll turn out just like you did!" The man screamed back, his blue eyes so cold his wife could not bare to look at him, and felt the ice like gaze from across the room.  
  
"You were never good to me, Tom Riddle, never once. You make me feel like I'm nothing, and I'm more then you'll ever be! At least I have a heart!" She fumed, hot tears of anger searing down her cheeks, and she pushed Tom's hand away when he reached out to her face in pity.   
  
"You had heart when I met you, Tom ... but not anymore. I don't know who you are anymore," she whispered, letting her chestnut hair hide her face as she grabbed something that looked very much like a purse and slammed the door without another word. Tom stood there for a long time, only permitting one tear to flow down his left cheek, finally wiping it away when he heard tiny footsteps echoing down the hall.   
  
"W-wheres mum?" A small voice asked innocently, stepping out of the shadows into a small patch of light that had slipped out from one of the curtains covering a window across the room, only casting a small sliver of sunlight onto a piece of her face. When her father didn't answer her, she stepped closer to him, reaching out one of her hands in comfort. Without a word she climbed up into his lap, and for once he did not object, letting her cling to him in pity, as if she knew what had happened. As if she knew everything was going to change, and not for the better.  
  
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"You'll probably turn out to be a squib." Her father said, bringing her down from cloud nine. She glared at him,  
  
"Shut up," The girl replied firmly, her looks looking strikingly like her mother's. She had the same chestnut hair, and chocolate brown eyes, but her stature was more like her father's, demeanor always hidden, her glare nearly as menacing as his. Whatever she tried, she could never get his approval. It was always just short of being good enough. She would never be good enough.  
  
Before the feud could continue a scrawny, sharp-beaked owl with pointed ears flew in from who knows where, a large letter attached to one of his large, clawed feet. Smirking at Tom with the same look of triumph that he would've given her if he had been right, she waited tell the owl had seated itself before untying the string holding the letter.  
  
"Ha!" She exclaimed in approval, looking over the letter again and again with a huge smile plastered on her face in spite of herself.  
  
"Don't expect me to take you shopping." Tom growled, but she was too happy to care what he had to say.  
  
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It was only when she had arrived in Diagon Alley by herself did she wish for a fleeting second that she had mum or maybe a kinder, gentler father who would help her shop for her things. Watching others with jealousy she erased the sadness from her eyes, the frown on her face wiping off with it.   
  
She could do this, she could shop by herself. She had the list, she knew what she had to get, she didn't need anyone to help her. She'd show him-oh God, who was she kidding? She was terrified, so much for courage.  
  
It felt like hours of just walking slowly around, not knowing what exactly she was supposed to do, scared out of her wits. Sitting down on a stool by what she supposed was some Wizarding bar, she started to doubt herself. Just as she began to believe everything that her father had said, that she wasn't good enough, that she was weak, that she was worthless trash, she heard footsteps coming towards her.  
  
Not wanting to look behind her, only looking up from her fingers when the person sat on the stool next to her did she want to smile.   
  
It was a boy sitting next to her, smooth blonde hair and a look of mischief dancing across his face, and eyes ... great blue ones. Before she could look away he noticed her glimpsing at him and smirked, handing out his hand in greeting,  
  
"Lucius Malfoy," He said, as if expecting her to know who he was already. She smiled,  
  
"Lesley Riddle, nice to meet you." She replied, a bit softly though her hand made up for her gentleness as she gripped it hard, causing his smirk to die down a bit. He tried not to make it apparent that she was literally crushing his hand and every bone inside of it.   
  
Laughing a bit apprehensively he nodded her way, "First year, what about you?" . When he only got a nod in reply, he softened, "Alone too, then? I haven't gotten many of my supplies, C'mon, you look a bit lost. Unless of course you mind being around a stud..." He said, puffing out his small chest proudly.   
  
She snorted, "Oh I don't mind all right, just wondering what stud your talking about." Lesley shot back, trying to keep a straight face as his face faltered.  
  
"Yeah, yeah ... lets get a move on,"  
  
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"Hey, that's not on the list," Lucius nodded towards the journal with what looked like dragon scales for a cover with a white feather quill tucked inside that she was holding.  
  
"Stuff it, won't you?" She accused, stuffing it into one of her bags after purchasing it.   
  
"Fine, fine, why not get me one while your at it?" He suggestively joked. He bit his tongue when she smiled expectantly at him,  
  
"I already have," and tossed him a fluffy pink diary with (of course) a pink feathered quill to match. It took all her strength not to have a laughing fit in his face when he took it from her, rolling his eyes and pushing it to the very bottom of one of his own bags.  
  
"Why do I get the diary?"   
  
"Because it's manly,"  
  
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Drinking a butterbeer, Lesley nearly cried out in shock when she realized the thing she was missing, "I don't have a wand!" she exclaimed, jumping to her feet and slamming the cup onto the table and grabbing her bags.   
  
Lucius stared after her, "You've gotten everything else and it just happened to pass your mind that you needed a wand?" He asked, skeptically. She glared at him,  
  
"Are you coming or not?"  
  
"I think I'll stay-"  
  
"Your coming." She snapped, grabbing his elbow and dragging him towards the rusty building that faintly read 'Wands' while the word before it was covered with so much dust it was impossible to distinguish what it said.  
  
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"In need of a wand, I presume?" A slightly young man asked, seeming very out of place with the jumbled up boxes all over the place.  
  
"Of course she does, are you that wrong in the head?" Lucius mocked, shutting up abruptly when Lesley hit him in the chest with one of her hands quite harshly, wearing a superficial smile.  
  
"Yes, thank you," She said, overly softly, making Lucius want to gag.  
  
"Follow me please." The man replied with an even larger smile, making Lucius wait outside of the room.  
  
Defiantly he leaned against the corner of the wall, watching the two, rolling his eyes every few minutes.  
  
"Here, try this, it's a Phoenix Holly, 9 inches." The man handed Lesley the wand, expectantly.  
  
Lesley stared at him for a few minutes, holding the wand in her left hand, not knowing what she was supposed to do. Looking back at Lucius she nodded when he moved his hand in a motion, as if he were holding a wand. Doing so, she frowned a bit when nothing happened, but the man nodded as if knowingly, taking the wand and handing her another one.  
  
After about fifthteen minutes, and going through who knows how many wands, the troubled young man clucked his tongue, finally handing her a random wand tiredly, "Unicorn Mahogany, 8 inches," His happy mood had long gone by then, and Lesley was frowning at herself, having more doubts. She could just imagine what her father would say if he found out she didn't have a wand- all thoughts washed away as she gaped at the wand in her hands, something was happening ... it tingled in her touch, it fit inside her hand like it had been made that way, it's silvery white color sparkling slightly, and she stared at it as white beads of sparks erupted from the tip of the wand. It caught Oliver by surprise, and she could see that he wanted to jump for joy in finally finding her a wand, to get her out of there. She was only too happy to comply.  
  
"It's white," Lucius remarked as they walked out of the shop,  
  
"better than pink-" Lesley shot back, stopping in place. Much as she wanted to, she could not permit her legs to work, they seemed rooted to the spot, wanting her to take a good look at something. There was a man, no, a boy that looked very ... handsome if you will, that was looking at her across the street.   
  
He had magnificent great gray eyes, and raven black hair that sheltered full view of his face. If nothing else could be more surprising, he was looking right at her, right through her. All time had stopped, though only for a moment. She smiled a bit, looking away as Lucius tapped her on the shoulder, telling her to hurry up.  
  
"What was that all about?" Lucius asked, though only mildly interested.  
  
"I'm not sure," Lesley breathed, still smiling secretly to herself.  
  
"Liar," Lucius insisted, only getting another punch in the chest, though this time it was softer, guiltier. My, my, my, this is going to be quite a year ... he thought to himself, and smiled slightly, knowing exactly why.  
  
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"I'm not taking you," Tom Riddle said, acting thoroughly like a two year old.  
  
"Just drop me off at the God damn station dad, that's all I'm asking you to do!" She said, furious that he was actually thinking of not sending her to Hogwarts. End of discussion.  
  
"Don't even think of coming back for the holidays." Her father ordered, while she scoffed.  
  
"I wouldn't dream of it." She reassured truthfully. He must really think I'm delusional, she thought to herself, why the hell would I even consider going home for the holidays? One of her infamous frowns overwhelmed her face, her brow furrowed, as if in deep thought, it was only expected when she bumped into someone, sending her bags everywhere, leaving her with the stupidest expression someone could make as she stood there, quite dumbfounded.  
  
It took her a few moments to realize what had happened, and when she had, she bent down (in spite of her skirt, which didn't seem to like that very much and let it's end flip up, though she doubted anyone could see anything) to pick up her bags. Only looking up afterwards after she had muttered a quiet 'sorry' she ungracefully tucked two of her bags underneath her armpits, not liking the way the rough material rubbed against her skin but not daring to try and change it's position she stumbled off, muttering to herself.   
  
When she looked back up at the boy walking away from her, she nearly dropped her luggage once more to reach a hand up and put over her mouth when she saw who he was. It had been him, there was no denying that, those gray eyes cast under that great hair was unmistakable. And she hadn't even bothered to say anything but a muffled sorry? Great, so now he thinks I'm a klutz, she frowned again, trying to put it further back in her mind. But she did look back a good dozen times before she decided that it had been him she had seen.  
  
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Sitting in a deserted compartment Lesley threw her things into a seat, letting her thumb come up to her lips and unconsciously chewing on her fingernail. Lost in her own thoughts she didn't notice as the familiar blonde entered the compartment.  
  
"Hey, haven't seen you in a while," Lucius said, finally nudging her reassuringly when he noticed that she hadn't been listening.  
  
Without looking up she muttered "Hmm?" oblivious to the fact he was trying to get her attention. Finally ignoring that fact she was ignoring him he sat down right next to her.  
  
That got her attention. Looking up with a snap, she glared for a whole second before she recognized his hair. "Oh!" She said, stupidly, pointing at him for a second and then shaking her head, "Sorry 'bout that."  
  
"Huh," He said, not believing her but not pressing the issue. Reaching into his pocket he revealed a package of chocolates. "frog?" He asked, handing a few out to her.   
  
Smirking she nodded, letting them fall into her hand. Popping one into her mouth she smiled to herself at the bubbly content feeling she felt when eating chocolate. Amazing how it could make someone feel so secure...  
  
"So what house do you plan on getting into?" Lucius asked, making short talk.  
  
"I don't know, really. I'm betting I'll get into Slytherin though, my parents were in there, so why shouldn't I?" Lesley questioned, her voice going dark at the remembrance of her mother.   
  
"Same with me, though I'm more cheery at the thought." He said, trying not to notice her shadowed face.  
  
"Been writing in your diary lately?" Lesley asked, suddenly, remembering it.  
  
"Oh yes, it's been my pride and joy, been doing the whole 'dear diary' thing too. Livin' it up." He assured, clapping his hands together and batting his eyes.  
  
"Glad to hear it,"  
  
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"Now there's a wicked hat," Lesley remarked, listening intently as the Sorting hat began it's song.  
  
Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
  
But don't judge on what you see,  
  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
  
A smarter hat than me.  
  
You can keep your bowlers black,  
  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
  
And I can cap them all.  
  
There's nothing hidden in your head  
  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
  
So try me on and I will tell you  
  
Where you ought to be.  
  
You might belong to Gryffindor,  
  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
  
Set Gryffindors apart;  
  
You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
  
Where they are just and loyal,  
  
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true  
  
And unafraid of toil;  
  
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
  
If you've a ready mind,  
  
Where those of wit and learning,  
  
Will always find their kind;  
  
Or perhaps in Slytherin  
  
You'll make your real friends,  
  
Those cunning folk use any means  
  
To achieve their ends.  
  
So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
  
And don't get in a flap!  
  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!  
  
Lesley's eyes widened a bit when the hat had finished it's song. That hat sure seemed to know what it was talking about, but she wasn't so sure about herself. Not letting her expression change into that of "I'm going to vomit all over you," she kept a stern, fearless stare and straightened her back, Lucius quick to follow suit.   
  
Letting her mind wander a bit, she was brought back down to earth when she heard the woman announcing names (she thought her name was McGraniball or something like that) exclaim "Black, Sirius," and saw the boy she had seen only a few glimpses of stand forward, and she let a smile creep onto her face as she stared longingly at his face, which quickly vanished underneath the hat. Soon enough the hat had yelled, making Lesley a bit more jumpy, Gryffindor, and the house at question began to clap uproariously. Lesley had only paid attention to a few more of the names, watching the people go forth, finding it oddly ironic that she had only listened to those names of whom either were sorted into Slytherin or Gryffindor,  
  
"Evans, Lily," a moment, a moment more, oh come on already, "GRYFFINDOR!" finally...  
  
"Malfoy, Lucius," there was his que. She swore it hadn't even reached his head before "SLYTHERIN!" was yelled.  
  
"Pettigrew, Peter," now there's a name. Lesley watched the fidgety boy curiously, frowning at him disapprovingly. But he himself turned out to be a Gryffindor, and she sighed.   
  
"Potter, James," nice name, not as good as Sirius Black though, and that was for sure... "GRYFFINDOR!" well of course he is, I see where this is goin.'  
  
Soon enough the last three students crunched together, including Lesley, who was fed up with all of the standing.  
  
"Remus, Lupin," he smiled back at her for a moment before going up there, making her a bit curious, what's up with all the smiles? Was she the only one who was sinking in her shoes? Oh great, another Gryffindor, It's like it's contagious!  
  
"Riddle, Lesley," Snapping to attention at the mention of her name, she stepped forward, finding her legs unreliable she flashed a fake smile and sat down into the three legged stool, slipping the hat on, pleased to find that it only went to just above her eyes, shadowing her face from view.  
  
She was startled by the voice which seemed to be talking from all angles. "Nice line age, ah, friend of the Malfoy, impressive," she heard the voice comment. "Great heart, bravery too, you would excel in Slytherin and Gryffindor both. This is a rather tough decision, you don't seem to know either, do you?" there was a pause. "Well, I see great things from Gryffindor, but..." the hat went into silence for a moment, making Lesley think it was gone, but she was shaken up when the hat shouted "SLYTHERIN!" for the sound seemed to echo from all sides of her brain, making her dizzy.   
  
Standing up without a word she smiled weakly, setting the Sorting Hat back onto the stool she dazedly walked over to the table cheering the most, supposing that was the right one. She found pity for the last kid up there, he had a long hooked nose and greasy black hair, and looked as though he was about to sprint for the door and run away. Lesley couldn't blame him.  
  
"Snape, Severus," Professor WhatsHerName said, her pale face showing that she didn't enjoy reading those lists very much. It seemed like hours before the hat yelled out a house name, but it couldn't have been two minutes. Lesley smiled in approval and clapped along with the others as the boy almost ran to the table, happy to have it over with.  
  
And then the hunger settled in.  
  
"Do they intend to feed us, you think?" Lesley asked with a questioning eyebrow in quiet tones with Lucius, who seemed just as lost as she was.   
  
"Well, they can't very much make us starve," Lucius said, a bit nervously, and she could only suppose that he was contemplating whether in fact they could, not feed them.   
  
Both stomachs squirmed uneasily as they bit their own lips, waiting for the 'old guy' to get done talking so that they could ask someone if they planned on getting dinner tonight. Not paying much attention to the wizard talking nonstop, Lesley glanced at Lucius, who obviously was doing the same. Turning ever so slightly, she stared over across to the Gryffindor table, searching for the black hair and finding it easily. She could see his face, and it made her want to smile and blush like a little school girl, but she wouldn't permit it. No way was she falling for a student before she had even started her first year at Hogwarts. It wasn't going to happen.  
  
Looking away and back to her own table, Lesley caught her breath when food (which had not been there before mind you) appeared on all of the dishes, silverware neatly put beside the dishes.   
  
"I guess they don't like 'em bony," Lucius said, gulping down everything he could get his hands on. Smiling Lesley tried to enjoy herself, and wondering why it wasn't as easy as she thought it would be.  
  
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Before retiring for the night Lesley found herself finally opening up her journal, she had never really expected to write in it, but now she felt herself compelled to write on the smooth, thin paper. It was itching for her to write down her thoughts and feelings, and she couldn't help herself.  
  
Well, I have arrived at Hogwarts, of Witchcraft and Wizardry in fact...   
  
No, that was too ... stupid.   
  
My name is Lesley and I go to Hogwarts  
  
Where the hell did that come from?   
  
Dear, well, readers, I guess,  
  
Who knows why I'm doing this, but it's happening so I might as well get used to it. If your reading this, well, I'm just praying you aren't because that'll mean I'm either dead or my clumsiness has laid it into your hands, both of which options I'm not too fond of. Anyway, I guess I'll have to get used to that too, now won't I?  
  
Well, ... tonight I finally got sorted. The Sorting Hat contemplated whether I should be a Gryffindor or a Slytherin, said that I would excel in both houses. He got sorted into Gryffindor, and I didn't. I wonder what would've happened if the hat had put me into Gryffindor? I guess I'll never know.   
  
From what I've learned the two houses aren't too fond of each other, making it ever more confusing. How could I have heart and bravery and cunning at the same time and despise one of the houses that contains the same thing inside of me? It's overly complicated, I'll most likely worry about it for days.  
  
At least I know someone here. Lucius Malfoy. The hat said something about that too, though only God knows what the hell that damn hat was talking about. Amazing how one thing can put a monkey wrench into everything I've established in my mind, isn't it? The only thing that could top this is one of the house elves to walk in wearing Victoria Secret.   
  
The fire in the common room is starting to burn out, and it's getting cold in here, so I'll stop for tonight.   
  
Oh yeah, and if you do happen to be reading this, be so kind as to return this ... journal to me as soon as possible ... preferably discreetly.  
  
Lesley Riddle  
  
She looked it over, satisfied. Casting a glance over to Lucius, she swallowed a laugh. He had managed to transform the pink of the diary and quill to a deep blue, though he still couldn't manage to get rid of the 'fluffiness' which still made it laughable for him to be writing in it. She believed this is what Muggles would call a 'Kodak moment' though she would just settle for a camera.  
  
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"I really thought that Riddle might actually get into Gryffindor," Remus admitted, scratching his head thoughtfully.  
  
"Nah, she ain't got the spirit ... but have you seen that Lily Evans?" James asked, whistling.  
  
"Mmm," Was all that Sirius commented, his brow strained in thought. Riddle, Lesley Riddle had been that girl's name. He had been tempted to say this, but thought better of it, that would only get him teased for days.  
  
As Pettigrew, Potter, and Lupin retired to the boy's dormitories, Sirius sighed contentedly. Reaching into one of his bags he took out a journal that looked the same model as Lesley's, in fact, it looked exactly the same, and he cursed himself for owning such a thing. Convincing himself that it wasn't a diary, or a journal for that matter, he simply would call it the story of his life, he could pass as an author, right?   
  
"Screw what everyone else thinks," He assured himself, propping open the journal (or whatever you want to call it) he didn't hesitate to begin writing.  
  
Note: This is NOT a journal.   
  
But for now I'll just say this is to the future readers, how about that?  
  
I've seen her three times now, and each time I haven't said anything to her. Now she got sorted into Slytherin, so that makes it impossible for me to even attempt to say something to her. She's attractive, I'll give her that. She has nice eyes, and her hair falls nicely to her face ... anyway, it's mutual, it has to be. I don't even know who she is, only her name and her appearance.   
  
Have to wonder what might've happened if she had been sorted into Gryffindor though, then it might've turned out differently. But no, it can't happen now, what can't happen? Nothing, nothing, nothing, forget I said anything.  
  
Though you have to admit, it has a nice ring to it, Lesley Riddle... Riddle... Lesley... Les...   
  
Sirius Black  
  
Short, but it would do for now. He didn't dare read it over for fear of his conscious scribbling out the writing. Putting it back into his back he lugged his luggage upstairs to find his bed and have a longing to sleep for eternity.   
  
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A/n: Wow, a bit long I would say. Mmm, give me your opinion, as I'm a bit concerned it may look like Lesley and Sirius are fallin' a bit too fast and my next chapter may not turn out to make as much sense as I want it to...  
  
See, I told you I'd make it lengthy. 


	2. First Years, Oh My!

A/n: I'm back, actually right now it's the same night and about five minutes since I posted the first chapter First Glances but by the time I post this chapter it will probably be much longer then that, because I am ... evil.   
  
So Sirius and Lesley have something mutual. I can squash all of your dreams and hopes now, because I can tell you for a fact that there shall be no snogging for a while yet. I can't bare to hurry my characters along you know. I have to wait for the right ... moment if you will. But please, try to enjoy yourself for the time being.  
  
Oh yeah, and I might as well get this across now... JK owns all of these characters (except for Lesley, she's ALL mine) and I own the storyline. Of course I don't get any money for it, I just write it to 'entertain my mind for a few hours' which, I must admit, is quite a crappie deal, but I'll get over it ... eventually.  
  
Chapter 2: First years, Oh My!  
  
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Sirius did not in fact get to sleep for eternity-he hardly got eight hours. Rolling out of bed he grumbled in protest as a hand prodded him and kept echoing his name. Opening his eyes, he tried to process his surroundings, finally settling down as he did so.   
  
"What is it, James?" He said, tiredly. He was not in the mood for jokes, all he wanted was to sleep until lunchtime.  
  
"If you don't get up your going to miss breakfast," The boy replied, as if it was some big important deal.  
  
"I don't CARE..." Sirius replied, but James did not relent.  
  
"Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," He persisted, poking harder at him.  
  
"I like lunch better anyway."  
  
"Oh come on, just get uuup!" James whined. Cursing under his breath Sirius complied, wondering what all the fuss was about. James wasn't the sort who would be whining about meals-but then again, this was breakfast they were talking about, and the guy always seemed to have some sort of obsession with the meal ... only one of many of his flaws.  
  
So, with much more grumbling and rubbing of the eyes, forgetting about his hair, Sirius dressed down into his robes, carrying his black hat in one of his hands (arms flopping lazily at his sides). It was only when he walked into the Great Hall did he notice that his hair was wilder than usual, though it would take a lot to make him care.  
  
Passing by his sister (who sat at the Slytherin table, of course) he tried to ignore her when Narcissa sneered, "Bad hair day, Black?" and found it oddly enough, very simple to do. Moving swiftly over to his own house table, Sirius plopped down in the middle of James and Remus (Peter sitting next to him) and found himself ravenously hungry.  
  
Filling his plate with bacon, sausages, biscuits, and gravy he tried to remain civilized as he pounced on his food, only stopping to breathe when he took a sip or two out of his glass of pumpkin juice. All in all Sirius thought it had been quite a good meal.   
  
Finishing off his plate, he stared across the room, soaking in the sights. Dumbledore seemed to be in a very serious conversation with Minerva McGonagall, while Professor Binns hovered around, looking longingly at the food and rambling on about what a pain Peeves was to the Charms professor, Flitwick (who, by the expression on his face, seemed to wholeheartedly agree). Letting his eyes travel elsewhere, he was surprised when his gaze was met with a pair of brown eyes. Feminine brown eyes, with soft black eyelashes that framed her eyes nicely, attractively. She seemed to be done with her breakfast, because she was leaning against the wall separating the Great Hall from other corridors, wearing her black hat which just made her look more mysterious. Chestnut hair (with bangs that swooped over to one side, also hiding her face) that fell to her shoulders moved slightly as she quickly turned away.   
  
The feeling left in Sirius's stomach was so hard to explain that he knew he wasn't likely to even try to anyone ... no one. It wasn't one that made him feel like he was sick, more of a mix of anxiety and a feeling of being excited, light at heart yet it sinking low at the same time. Quite a feeling he was not very used to.   
  
Quick to avert his eyes as well, he started in on James's conversation about how, as soon as he had learned how to, he would test out that leg-binding spell on the first Slytherin he could point his wand at. Only glancing back at the girl once more, he wanted to frown when he saw her laughing along with the blonde who couldn't be thought as anyone but Lucius Malfoy. Though his frown would not show, the lurching in his stomach was sure there, even though he had just finished eating minutes before. It followed him for the rest of the day.  
  
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She couldn't believe what she had done! She had literally stared at him until he had met her gaze, she had made herself out to be a git, she had made a fool of herself. But Lesley couldn't help it. "It's an infatuation, that's all," she tried to assure herself in hushed words, trying to make herself feel better. It was hardly a surprise when it didn't help at all. "Your a first year, your too young to have those feelings, you need to think about your studies, not some guy with great hair and beautiful eyes ... nice eyes, they aren't beautiful, hell, their not even nice!" she scolded herself, burrowing her face deeper into her book, trying to keep her attention on History Through the Ages, but having an extremely hard time doing it.   
  
Cursing herself she got up from the Slytherin Common Room chair, closing the book and deciding it would be wise not to be very late to her last class on her first day, as it would be a hassle all in itself to find her way there, let alone being prepared.   
  
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"Kind of you for joining us," The potions professor remarked sarcastically when Lesley had stumbled into the dungeon.  
  
"I'm- sorry-just got- a little-lost," She said, breathlessly, she had ran the whole way, not to mention retraced her steps several times.   
  
The man rolled his eyes, but scratching his brown beard lightly had muttered something to the effect of, "Quite all right," though she had a feeling that she had gotten off so easily only because he was her head of house. She couldn't bring herself to think that he had actually done it because, well, it had been the fair thing to do. He just didn't seem the type.  
  
"I suspect that hardly any one of you, insolent, snobbish pupils actually respect the aspect of potions, though I hardly expect less. What with you being so young and narrow minded, it probably hasn't even crossed your thick minds that potions happens to be magic in itself..." Lesley couldn't keep her mind from wandering as he continued with his 'speech,' he was quite quick to judge, she thought to herself.  
  
"Some," he eyed Lesley at this, "will never understand potions, though it shall be my attempt to teach you enough to where you can do at least the basics," he was still glaring at her, as if she were who he was talking about. She couldn't help it, her hand shot up...  
  
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Sirius looked down at his dinner, not finding himself hungry in the least. It had only been his first day but he felt as if he had already screwed everything up. First he had turned up twenty minutes late to Transfiguration class, which got him only a stern look from the professor (McGonagall), though it still made him feel like an idiot. Then in charms his ink bottle fell off of his desk, causing the poor little wizard Flitwick to stop for a whole five minutes to clean it up (getting down from all of those books was easier said then done). And finally he hadn't even showed up for History of Magic, as he didn't find the need for it took him the entire period to figure out where the classroom was.   
  
"Yep, I've screwed it up big time," he admitted. Then there was that whole Riddle bisness. He'd be seeing her on Wednesdays and Fridays, for both double classes of History of Magic and flying classes (which he was looking forward too, though the thought of being up in the air made him feel a bit queasy) with the Slytherins. Indeed it was going to be quite a first year for him. He had thought it had been a miracle that he had lasted one whole day, let alone the whole year.  
  
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"I can't believe you did that," Malfoy said, jealousy apparent in his voice.  
  
"Did what?" Lesley asked innocently.  
  
"Got detention on your first day, duh." He said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Oh, that, well I just can't stand it when teachers do that." Lesley said, lazily, as if it didn't matter one bit.  
  
"Do what?" Lucius asked, now a bit more interested.  
  
"Singling out students as if they are supposed to know everything. Gits, the whole lot of them." She replied, casually, grabbing her bags.  
  
"Where are you going?" Lucius asked, raising his eyebrows.  
  
"I'm not too hungry and it seems as though I have detention, thanks for reminding me," She said, sarcastically.   
  
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"Ah, Ms. Riddle. I find it most appalling that one of my very own house managed to wiggle their way into detention on their first day," He paused for effect, just making Lesley roll her eyes angrily, thinking, men.  
  
"Oh please continue with your speech, professor Harlin." She said, her voice full of all the venom she could muster.  
  
His face turned cold, "I have a mind to take points, Riddle," he clucked, warningly, but she only waved her hand as though it mattered even less to her.  
  
"Go ahead, my first day has already started out spectacular, why not make it official?" She asked, crossing her arms and standing right in front of the professor, glaring at him though he was still a good four feet taller than her.   
  
"I can see already that these are going to be quite the seven years,"  
  
"Wow, your smarter then I would've expected,"  
  
"5 points from Slytherin."  
  
"Oh goody,"  
  
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Sirius could hardly imagine how his first year could already be going so badly. It was only now nearing the end of October and already he had managed to make almost every one of his days a living hell. Sure he had pranks to look forward to, but they weren't all that interesting, considering that no one really knew how to do anything yet, anything to make Slytherins miserable-and he always was nervous that some prank done would get done to Riddle. He didn't want that. Yet, he found himself once again in the middle when Halloween vacation (one week of blissful freedom), his worst fear showing itself.  
  
"Padfoot, this is so cool, you've gotta see this!" James had nearly shouted in his excitement, taking out his wand, eyes gleaming. Sirius put on his 'I'm too cool for that shit' face,  
  
"What is it now, James? Found a way to jinx an everlasting gobstopper?" He asked, lazily, letting his hair cover some of his eyes, it's length not quite reaching his shoulders. Fixing his gray eyes on James, his smirk erased immediately.  
  
"No, no, Sirius, forget leg-binding spells. I've found a body-binding spell, oh come on, I'll show you," James said in hurried whispers, pointing to the hall, where an unsuspecting girl was walking slowly on the marble floor, not paying any mind to them, probably not even seeing them.  
  
"No, James, don't-" Sirius didn't get to finish, for James had already muttered, "Locomotor Mortis!" and sent it flying the girl's way.  
  
Something must have gotten mixed up on the way there, for it didn't have the effect it was supposed to. Ropes appeared out of nowhere, wrapping around her ankles and hands, around her mouth and tying in the back. James's smile immediately vanished and he whispered to Sirius that they should get out of there, but he was rooted to the spot.   
  
"What the hell did you do?" Sirius asked in angered whispers as the girl struggled to free herself from the bounds that clung her to the wall.   
  
"I don't know, it wasn't supposed to do that! C'mon, we've gotta get out of here before a teacher comes and catches us!" James persisted, dumbfounded but knowing he couldn't stay there. And Sirius would've gone too, if it hadn't been for who was bound.  
  
Finally leaving him, James ran off, muttering to himself how he thought he had said it correctly and had no idea how it had happened.   
  
Sirius on the other hand stepped closer to her, while she struggled mirthlessly, whining as blood began to soak into the old rope clinging to her ankles and hands. It was hard enough for her to get out of the ropes, let only if her feet weren't even touching the ground. "Settle down, I'll get you out of that, just give me a few seconds," Sirius assured, putting his hands on her shoulders to stop her from moving, "Riddle, stop!" that got her attention. Her eyes went wide when she saw who it was. Sirius reached up and took off the girl's hat, hoping that that would make it easier for her to see who it was.   
  
Frightened and confused dark brown eyes stared back at him, glimmers of tears waiting to be unleashed making him feel horrible. Raising his wand he muttered a few words, undoing her ankles first, which left her hanging by her arms, making her obviously even more uncomfortable. Quick about it, he undid her hands, trying not to notice her bleeding hands as he reached around her head and undid the rope on her mouth, having an urge to trace the rope burns that were on her cheeks.   
  
She stared at him for a few seconds, hurt in her eyes. Why had he done that, why had he bound her up there and then all of a sudden had a change of heart and get her down? It didn't make sense. Lesley had an urge to scream, but instead she wiped the tears coming down her face with her bloody hands, which didn't seem to make anything better.  
  
"Here, no, wait, come on," Sirius said, pulling her hands down from her face and wiping them gently with a rag, stopping when she flinched.   
  
She gulped, "Why did you do that?" she asked, in such a small voice she hadn't known existed. He stared at her for a moment,  
  
"It wasn't me," He said, also quietly, not caring to elaborate.  
  
"Oh," she whispered, taking her stained hands out of his, "I'm fine, you can go," she lied, she felt the blood dripping down from her ankles into her shoes.  
  
"Liar," He said, softly, looking through her eyes, and she looked away.   
  
"I'm fine, OK?" She snapped, first line of defense, make them angry and they'll go away.   
  
"It wasn't me," Sirius repeated, trying not to get angry.  
  
"I heard you the first time," She said, doubtfully.   
  
"I just wanted to help you," Sirius went on.  
  
"Thanks for trying," Lesley said, turning to go.  
  
"I'm still talking to you," Sirius persisted, holding her shoulders and turning her back to face him.  
  
"Oh, I stopped talking to you seconds ago," She said, the words hurt, she knew they did. But she needed to go, and he didn't seem to want to let her.   
  
"Fine!" Sirius exclaimed, muttering to himself, "Bitch..." He regretted it as soon as the word left his mouth.   
  
Ripping out of his reach she stumbled, running off, leaving Sirius dumbfounded.  
  
That certainly wasn't how he had wanted to talk to her for the first time. No, not indeed.  
  
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Over the next few weeks it crossed Riddle's mind several times that perhaps she should go to Madam Pomfrey, but something hung her back. She was a Slytherin, not a tattle tailor. She could take care of herself, it was just a few cuts and bruises, nothing she couldn't handle.   
  
Wrapping her ankles in white bandages, third time that week, she noticed they were probably just getting worse. The bruises around the cuts had turned greenish brown, as had the cuts around her hands. She also walked with a bit of a limp, and she thought she must've sprained one of her ankles, another thing she didn't need.   
  
She hadn't told anybody-she didn't see what right they had to know anyway. What would she say? "Hi, beautiful day, isn't it? Oh yeah, and while you were gone on Halloween vacation I got bound to a wall, and I've got the bruises to show, wanna see?" No, definitely not gonna happen. She'd take care of this by herself.   
  
Sitting by herself up in the girl's dormitory, she took out her journal, which had been forgotten for the past few weeks, as writing had been a pain and she didn't want to do more of it then she had to. But now it seemed a proper time to write something down...  
  
I know I'm being naive, but I don't want to believe that he did that to me. I don't think he did it, but who else could it have been? If I hadn't known any better I would've thought it was dad, but I didn't think he could get into the school.   
  
I don't know, maybe I just don't want to get made at him, maybe I just don't want to get mad at Sirius Black.   
  
I'm just so confused. What am I supposed to do? I feel guilty for something I didn't cause, God I hate feeling this way!  
  
Lesley Riddle  
  
She didn't even want to read over it. Putting it on the nightstand beside her, she flopped down underneath the covers. It seemed like this nightmare would never end.  
  
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I can't believe I actually called her a bitch, she's not a bitch ... just confused... God now I'm confused! This is just such a confusing situation.  
  
She hasn't gone to Madam Pomfrey yet, I know that cause she hasn't been missing any of her classes, probably a Slytherin thing. Those people never like to admit it when their weak.   
  
At least James is guilty about it, it's better than nothing.  
  
Sirius Black  
  
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The next morning, as the two finished their breakfast, they stumbled into one another. Lesley made a clucking sound before going to pick up her things, trying not to blush as she picked up her journal, while Sirius did the same.  
  
"Sorry," The two said in unison.  
  
"No, I'm sorry," They said again. Finally shaking their heads, they said, "Nevermind," walking off, not to think of their encounter until night came.  
  
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A/n: Ahh, what is it that little ol' me has up my sleeve?  
  
You'll just have to wait and see, dearies. 


	3. Oops!

A/n: Would anyone mind telling me how I can get the writing out in italic? Maybe bold or even underlined? It's getting a bit annoying having it not come up, to tell you the truth.   
  
I left you hanging a few minutes ago when I posted the second chapter, this I know. I'm trying to rebuff on my cliffhanger skills, muahahahaha!  
  
In case you get a bit confused along the way in this chapter, I happened to make Lesley and Sirius's journals get mixed up, as if you were paying attention in the first chapter I mentioned that they were identical... -smiles innocently-   
  
Please, enjoy;)  
  
Chapter 3: Oops!  
  
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As Lesley slowly lowered herself into the armchair nearest the fire, her eyes drowsy, she searched through her bag sleepily for her journal. In a sleepy look of triumph, she tugged it open.  
  
At first nothing seemed different about it, but as she flipped through the pages, she found it was more full then she had had it only this morning. Suspicious, she flipped back to the first page. Eyes widening, drowsiness forgotten, she paused, should she really be going through someone else's journal?   
  
"Hell yes," She muttered to herself, forgetting to even question to herself who's journal it was, as she was bound to find out soon enough. She read:  
  
Her. What is her name? Lesley Riddle. Who is she? I have no clue. But I wish I knew.   
  
It would be nice to know.  
  
Brow furrowed, Lesley went to a few pages after that.  
  
My first day was horrible. I was either late or made a mess in every one of my classes, and for one, I didn't even show up. This year's going to be terrible, I just know it is.  
  
And there it was, in slightly messy handwriting, Sirius Black. Lesley's breath caught up in her chest. How could she have gotten his journal-she wasn't even aware that guys had journals ... wait, she was missing something?   
  
"Oh my God," Lesley said, eyes widening with shock, "if I have his journal, then that means he has mine!"  
  
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She was quite right. As soon as the crowded common room had died down, when Sirius pulled out what he suspected was his journal, he got a nasty shock when he found that it indeed was not. Every bit as curious (nosy, if you will) he read some of the pages:  
  
I'm not sure what is worse, staying here or going home. I feel like I'm rotting here, but it's not like it'd be any better at home. Daddy won't be too keen on seeing me when I come home this summer anyway. Tom Riddle was not made for fatherhood.   
  
And then there's Mom. How could she have abandoned me with him all those year ago? How can she live with herself for what she did? She left for exactly the same reason I want to leave. Daddy just ain't a ray of sunshine.  
  
Rubbing his eyes to stay awake, he shook his head, turning a few more pages.  
  
Why the hell can't we all just get along? What a corny line, but seriously. It's like Slytherins are cornered by all three of the other houses, most severely by Gryffindor. Why couldn't he have been sorted into a different house? Or why couldn't I have? Forget about him, Sirius Black is not making any attempt to see you, and you should do the same.   
  
He can't be for you if both of our houses despise each other. It's just not plausible.  
  
Sirius, now intrigued, read the small, neatly written signature, Lesley Riddle. Too weird.  
  
"The journals must've been switched when I bumped into her," Sirius thought, aloud, "oh great, so that means she has mine too?" he groaned. "I'll have to give it back to her tomorrow." He decided.   
  
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Actually, both of them had decided upon that course of action. Not surprising that it was almost a three weeks before they actually did end up giving the journals back.  
  
Finally landing on the last journal entry, Lesley read:  
  
Great, I've blown it. I shouldn't have gotten so mad at her, it's probably just what she wanted. Slytherins can be like that. But it's not exactly my place to be helping her anyway, especially if she doesn't want my help. I should have just tipped Professor McGonagall off, she could've helped her, and I wouldn't have gotten mixed up in it all.  
  
What am I gonna do? It's so hard to not think about her, but I can't talk to her-  
  
Sirius read the last line to Lesley's last entry:  
  
I can't talk to him, he wouldn't understand.  
  
Lesley scanned the last few words:  
  
she wouldn't understand.  
  
Both closed the separate journals. Now, they decided, they'd return it to the rightful owners.  
  
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Lesley kept casting glances Sirius's way all throughout Flying class, and found her most enjoyable class less enjoyable because of it. They still needed to get their journals back...   
  
"Mount your brooms," Madam Hooch ordered, and a series of "UP!"'s were heard, and the students sat on the broom as she had showed them.   
  
"Now you shall go up on my whistle, perform three front flips and three back flips on your brooms," she continued, and nearly ever face went white, "don't worry, it's completely safe as long as you hold on," she assured them, but not many faces looked reassured.  
  
Lesley smiled slightly, she loved brooms, though she didn't have one herself. It was against policy to own a broom in your first year, but when she came to her second year ... oh yes, a broom was one of her top priorities. The deafening whistle snapping her out of her own thoughts, she pushed her feet firmly on the ground, shooting up high into the air.   
  
Only looking around herself to make sure that she wouldn't collide with anyone, she flipped frontwards once, twice, three times. Satisfied, yet dazed, she started backwards. Once, twice-  
  
THUMP! And she collided with Sirius, who looked every bit as stunned as she was. Both had crashed into each other head on, and Lesley grabbed at her bleeding head before she could stop herself.   
  
"Lesley, don't-" Sirius warned, grabbing onto her broomstick as it started to fly left and right, downwards and upwards.  
  
"Ms. Riddle, Mr. Black I'm not sure what you two are doing but stop it this instant-" Madam Hooch began, but stopped with shock.  
  
Lesley had maneuvered her hands back onto her broomstick, and not a moment too soon for it jerked her far to the right, knocking Sirius off his broom. Managing to hang onto Lesley's legs, Sirius looked below him, watching as the other students yelled up at them.   
  
Grabbing the other broom with her other hand, Lesley tried to balance herself, biting her lip at the pain from added weight on her ankles and the blood slipping into her eyes, affecting her vision. She wanted no more then to let go, but she knew that was not an option. Trying to push the heads of the brooms downwards, she quickly brought them back up when they began plummeting to the ground.   
  
Afraid that if she tried to swing Sirius back onto his broom that he would fall, Lesley grumbled to herself. Her hands were beginning to get sweaty on the two handles, she had to think fast. They were jumping higher now, and they needed to get back down...   
  
"Sirius, climb up," Lesley ordered, wondering why they were on first name basis now.  
  
"What?" He asked, confused.   
  
"Climb up me, and get on one of these stinking brooms before I drop the both of us!" She exclaimed, already she could feel her hands slipping.   
  
"Okay, hold on," Sirius said, as if it made a difference. Letting out a gasp as he moved his hands up to her knees and the back of her calves, her left hand began slipping off of the handle to one of the brooms.   
  
"Hurry-up-" Lesley started, trying to pull the brooms down, but to no avail. She tried to keep her mind off of the tingling feeling she felt with his hands on her skin ... one of the brooms slipped out of her hands, and it zoomed away. "Holy shit!" Lesley exclaimed, feeling her right hand being pulled off. Quickly, without rubbing her left hand on her robes, she lifted her hand to the same broom that her right clung to.   
  
Sirius was almost there now. Just as he had reached her back she had let go of one of the brooms, sending him back down to her hips. Putting his hands easily on her sides, he pushed himself up, trying not to get sidetracked with the way she was making him feel. Blowing his hair out of his eyes, he hooked his feet around to hers, pushing up. He heard her grunt in pain, and began working faster.   
  
Lesley had to admit, it was taking a lot to keep her mind from straying back to how he was touching her, feeling her-Snap out of it, she told herself, your about to drop quite a bit of feet and all you can think about it how he's making you feel while he's climbing up you like your a tree? Her hands were really slipping now, but Sirius was almost there. Her knuckles turned white as she clenched them harder onto the broom.  
  
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"What do you suspect their doing?" James inquired, watching the two in their ... predicament, enjoying himself immensely.  
  
"Oh, I have not a clue," Remus replied, sarcastically as the two stood back to back, looking on with huge smiles.  
  
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Now he was definitely almost there. Sirius wrapped his arms under her arms and back onto her shoulders, trying to hurry, seeing her hands slipping. Flipping his legs ontop of the broom, gently pushing Lesley's hands back near the twig part of the broom, Sirius clasped his hands on the handle.  
  
"C'mon, your turn," He said.  
  
She looked grim, "Just get us to the bloody ground before I crack my head open." She replied, not daring to remove a from the handle to wipe the sweat off. Nodding shortly, he slowly started descending to the ground, though it was still quite a ways down.   
  
Lesley let out a short shriek as he hands suddenly left the broomstick. This was it, she was going to fall to her death, and in her first year! She started falling through the air, it was impossible to land without a scratch...  
  
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"Now that's not a bloody good sign is it?" James asked, pointing to the falling speck.  
  
"Certainly not," Remus agreed, both not too concerned with the danger.  
  
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"Not giving up now," Sirius said, rushing down as fast as he could, hand outstretched. Grasping Lesley's wrist, looking very pleased with himself, Sirius panted, that was close. He wasn't letting go of her again until they got to the ground, even though he knew that she was probably writhing in pain from being clutched where a white bandage was, undoubtedly a place she had been hurt. Her head was covered with blood, too, he noticed. It was a bit hard to tell it from her dark hair, but it was glimmering in the light.   
  
"Not a bloody nice ride, I must admit..." Lesley said, her head throbbing as she tried to look up at Sirius.  
  
"Certainly not what I was expecting," Sirius admitted, letting Lesley land smoothly on her feet, though she fell to her knees anyway. Landing with a thud he dropped off the broom, out of breath.   
  
"Mr. Black, Ms. Riddle, explain yourselves!" A towering voice barked, causing Lesley to close her eyes and put a hand up to her head, painfully.   
  
"Well," Sirius said, seeming to have a hard time concentrating as well, "you can be sure it wasn't fun for either of us." He ended, struggling to his feet and stumbling as he let out a hand to help Lesley up.  
  
She accepted it, though had a harder time standing. Madam Hooch even stopped looking at them with impatience as she looked Lesley over.  
  
"What's wrong, dear?" She inquired, but Lesley waved her hand away when she approached.  
  
"It's nothing, I'm fine," She assured, eyes rolling out of control as she stumbled back into Sirius, and then back forward again.  
  
"We can all tell your lying," Madam Hooch said, a bit sternly, "both of you report to the infirmary-no buts from either of you Ms. Riddle or Mr. Black," she ordered.  
  
"C'mon then, Riddle," Sirius said, wrapping her arm around his shoulder, "nice work out there," he added, and others seemed to think the same because they cheered her on as the two walked limply back indoors.  
  
"Wasn't too bad, was I?" Lesley agreed, the cool shade in the castle making her head feel slightly better.  
  
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Both of them nearly fell on their faces when they arrived to Madam Pomfrey, instead each fell against an opposite wall, Lesley sliding slowly to the ground, her eyes trying with all their might to roll back into her head.   
  
"What in goblins name happened to you two?" Madam Pomfrey demanded as Sirius helped her bring Lesley to her feet.   
  
"Flying practice,"  
  
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News spread quickly about the incident with Sirius and Lesley, rumors went flying, and Ravenclaw along with Hufflepuff said in hushed voices about how it seemed that a Gryffindor had fallen for a Slytherin. Never would they have guessed in a million years that they were quite right.  
  
Both Sirius and Lesley remained in the hospital wing for a weeks time, Madam Pomfrey tut-tuting after she had removed the bandages around Lesley's ankles and wrists, something about 'kids these days'.  
  
Sirius had to admit, Lesley seemed in a lot worse shape then him, not that she would ever say so herself. He wouldn't have been surprised if she had just lied her way to getting out of the hospital wing faster. He was almost delighted when the color to her eyes and face returned, and it was only then did he remember the journals.   
  
All this time and he had planned on giving her back hers right after Flying class, but then it had gotten all jumbled up with the other things that it had just ... passed his mind.  
  
So as the two walked down to breakfast, Sirius decided it was time ... or rather, they both did at the same time.  
  
"Here," they said in unison, "did you read it?" they asked, "Nooo," they both replied at the same time, shrugging their shoulders, trying not to seem guilty. "Well, thanks," both said, going in opposite directions. A couple seconds later they came back to face each other, forcing a smile as they exchanged the journals (somehow it had passed their minds to do it the first time) to their rightful owners, and then Lesley heading the way Sirius had first been going, and Sirius the way Lesley had. Confusing indeed.  
  
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"So, have you snogged her yet?" James asked, outright. It was now nearing December, and still all the rumors hadn't stopped.  
  
"No, why, you planning on it?" Sirius asked, trying not to take it that seriously ... very hard, extremely hard...  
  
"No, Sirius, she's all yours. Can't tell me you didn't enjoy climbing up her just a little bit..." James teased.  
  
"Sod off," Sirius said, noticing how touchy he was being, he added, "you would've been feelin' it up if it had been Lily," and couldn't help but snicker at the horrified look on Lily Evan's face.  
  
"True," James admitted, giving Lily dreamy eyes, "we are made for each other," he batted his eyes dramatically.  
  
"Go screw yourself." Lily snapped, grabbing her bag and storming out of the Great Hall.  
  
"Oh, but I'd much rather it be you..." James said quietly after her. It was a good thing she hadn't heard him, or else someone would've ended up in the hospital wing. "She wants me, I know she does," he insisted.  
  
Taking his chance of getting away, Sirius quietly separated himself, looking over to Lesley, who, amazingly, caught his gaze and nodded, and seconds later she slinked off while Lucius flirted with Narcissa.  
  
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"What's up?" Lesley asked, hurrying after him as he walked outside, "Wait, it's cold out there you know-" she started.  
  
"Not that cold, c'mon." Sirius said, pulling her after him.  
  
Shivering in her thin cloak as the snow fell around her and Sirius both. "What's this about?" she asked. Over the past few months they had developed a sort of friendship, meeting in secret and that sort of thing.  
  
"Do you like me?" Sirius blurted out, that hadn't been what he had wanted to ask, but that about summed it up.  
  
"What?" She asked blankly, she had definitely not been expecting that.  
  
"Well, ... well I, um..." Lesley looked away, pushing some hair awkwardly behind her ear...  
  
Sirius stepped closer to her, licking his bottom lip, staring at her deeply. Lesley didn't meet his gaze, and he had to put his hand gently under her chin and had her face him, stroking her cheek softly. Her eyes screamed yes, and he pulled her closer to him, bringing his lips down to hers--  
  
"Lesley, so there's where you are-" Lucius started, opening the door and starting to walk outside. The two's lips had hardly met and they pulled away instantly, Sirius pushing himself behind the bushes, knee-deep in snow.   
  
"What are you doing outside? It's freezing," Lucius asked, pausing to look at her face, which was stunned and blushing in the face, "are you okay?" he added, "You look like someone just ran over your dog,"   
  
Lesley stared at him, "what?"   
  
"Okay, so maybe your watch is what got run over, if we don't get to class in five minutes we're gonna be late." Lucius said, grabbing Lesley by the arm and leading her back inside, her managing to mouth a 'sorry' over her shoulder before being dragged off.  
  
Sirius wanted to hit himself, right in the face. He couldn't even kiss her before they were dragged apart. He sighed, getting to his feet and walking inside, brushing off the snow on his robes.  
  
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"Hey," Sirius whispered in Lesley's ear, she had been sitting outside, as it happened to be a beautiful June day. She set her books on the grass as Sirius sat down next to her, thankful for everyone else not being outside. For some reason they thought sitting inside would help them learn better, prepare for the tests that would be taking place in only a week.   
  
They hadn't seen much of each other since that December day, friends sidetracking them and homework blinding them.   
  
"Hey," she whispered back, smiling softly. She licked her lips silently, knowing that it would probably drive him mad, but he looked so cute when he was mad, and she didn't mind doing it to get his attention.  
  
"Stop that," he almost whined, and she smiled innocently.  
  
"Whatever do you mean?" she asked, eyes sparkling.  
  
"You know very well what I mean," he said, nibbling her ear thoughtfully.   
  
"Stop it," she whispered, smiling at his actions. She was being played by her own game.  
  
"I'm not sure what you mean..." Sirius said innocently, pulling back. He was being such a tease!  
  
"You know we can't..." she muttered. He sat there, like it didn't matter. "not out here, Sirius, it'll be all over the school..."  
  
"So your saying you don't want anyone to know?" Sirius asked, starting to get annoyed. She tried not to smile at his face, it was so ... pouty.  
  
"No, Sirius, I just want our first kiss to be something we can have, not the gossip group," she whispered. There was silence for a while.  
  
"Okay, I'll wait. You are such a pain when your right," he said, finally. Getting up he picked Lesley up off of the ground, her laughing.  
  
"What are you doing?" she questioned. He sat back down, her in his lap.  
  
"I'm gonna help you study," Sirius said, picking up her books and setting them on her lap, his head right by her ear.  
  
"Fair enough,"   
  
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Lesley sighed quietly to herself. Tomorrow was the last day she'd be considered a first year at Hogwarts. Then she'd have to endure a whole summer with her father. "You got through it for the last ten years, a summer shouldn't be that bad," she assured herself, though she knew why it bothered her. It was because she knew something better was out there now, and that she had experienced it.   
  
"Hey, at least you have something to look forward to," she said, blushing to herself. "he'll be here when you get back." She had never wanted summer to come and go so quickly. Turning to the last page in her journal (she would have to get a new one, next year, she realized) she wondered thoughtfully what she should write.  
  
It seems that I have to say good-bye to you, for now, dear readers. This parchment ends after this page, as does my first year at Hogwarts. So much has happened, so much that you have heard me talk endlessly about. I've fallen off brooms, I've exchanged journals, I've gotten a guy a pink diary, and I just happened to fall in ... well I think it's too stressing if I say love. But I know it's something like that. I think it could become love, if we can keep with it. And he doesn't seem to be thinking about leaving too soon.   
  
As this year comes to a close I can make my resolution. Here we go, a corny, but truthful look at the one thing I wanna achieve before I get too far into the second year- I want to kiss Sirius Black, and I want it to be a good one, like those Muggles see in the movies, only something a little more 'cool,' I want to kiss him because I feel it tugging at me everytime I'm with him. Well, there you go, my secret for you to keep. Oh, and heres another little bit, I think he'd actually kiss me back.  
  
Ha, that's something for you to chew on for a while.  
  
Audio's Amigo,  
  
Lesley Riddle  
  
She put down her quill carefully. The common room was still alive with excitement as seventh years said good-bye to their younger friends and celebrated being free of schoolwork forever. Sixth years reminisced on how they knew they weren't gonna make it in seventh, while fifth years toasted to their health's (as long as it would last). Fourth and third years shrugged their shoulders, not caring about responsibility until years to come. Second years set off firecrackers, and first years ... well first years just sat around the common room, smiles growing as they gazed around the room.   
  
And looking forward to their second year.  
  
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A/n: I had actually planned a nice big smooch in this chapter, Lesley and Sirius were begging me to ... but, I think I'll make you wait a while longer, as you are making me a bit temperamental with all your not reviewingness. Not even one single e-mail either! How am I supposed to know your there?   
  
Oh screw it, I'm having too much fun with this to care what you guys think. Though it would be a bit nice to know that I'm not as corny a writer as I read myself to be.   
  
Until next time buckoes! 


	4. An Accident

A/n: Hmmm ... nothing much to say about this chapter, except that I may be using bits and pieces of songs in them, but only if I really wanna. I'm not sure if I'm gonna let Lesley and Sirius get some action in this chapter, but if I do, please forgive me on the vagueness... (may be a surprise to all of you but with me being 12 and all I haven't happened to french anybody). so just have an open mind: P   
  
Chapter 4: An Accident  
  
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Lesley strode quietly through the halls of Hogwarts. It was dead silent, odd for it was already halfway through her second year. Hair pulled back into a low ponytail she smiled slightly, her broom resting firmly in her left hand as she thought of where she was going.   
  
Her skin growing goosebumps as his robes swished along them, she suppressed a laugh as a pair of hands clasped over her eyes, elbows hugging her sides tightly to his.  
  
"Congratulations," Sirius whispered in her ear, and Lesley shivered. Pulling away from him she smiled at his face,  
  
"I got on the team two months ago, and all you can say is congratulations?" she teased, setting her broom against a wall as she approached him, holding his hands in hers.  
  
"I meant on the victory against Ravenclaw last week." Sirius defended, pulling her closer to him. It always felt better with her near him. She rested her hands on his hips, grinning.  
  
"240 points to 20, yeah, we didn't do that bad," Lesley admitted, resting her head on his thumping chest. They often met this way, just clinging to each other, not saying what they were feeling, not admitting all the things that were tearing them apart, because it never mattered in the few minutes they spent together. It always went away when they were around each other.  
  
"Mind if I watch you practice?" He asked, looking down at her hair. It smelled strangely of strawberries and oranges. Quite a captivating mix.  
  
"They'll talk," she said, quietly. Looking up quizzically at Sirius when he did not change his expression.  
  
"James leant me his cloak," Sirius said, smiling wickedly.  
  
"Sure he did," Lesley said, nonbelieving, "like he'd leaned you his cloak to go meet up with a girl," she added, snorting.  
  
"I told him I was gonna raid the kitchen." He said, a satisfied expression on his face. She punched him lightly in the arm,  
  
"You dog you," she commented sarcastically. "C'mon, I'm gonna be late," she added, pulling his hand and grabbing her broom with the other.   
  
"C'mon, get under here," Sirius said, pulling her underneath the cloak with him, and she giggled with protest.  
  
"Sirius-C'mon now-your gonna get it!" she said, playfully.  
  
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"Was beginning to think that you wouldn't show," Garum said, nodding Lesley's way. "I know your probably responsible for our win against Ravenclaw, but if we don't practice then we'll be back at square one with Hufflepuff next month." He added, tugging her arm and bringing her into the field.   
  
Sirius moved quietly and swiftly, leaning invisible against the stadium, watching with interest as the team lifted into the air. James had also made the team near the beginning of the year, but it was like a whole different game watching the Slytherins practice.  
  
Lesley caught the quaffle from Alexander, a scrawny fellow with thick glasses and a nose as long as the field itself. None too good an attitude either, though when he laughed it sounded more like a hog. Looking around quickly she passed to Haley, who then passed it back to Lesley, who slammed it in for a goal.   
  
"Sorry Polly, you'll get me next time," Lesley assured to the stout girl who was obviously the keeper.   
  
Getting back into position Lesley cast a look in the seeker's direction, who was practicing with a white tennis ball, bewitching it to fly away from him. Looking back up to see where the quaffle was, she intercepted the pass to Nathaniel (he was also on her team, but they played two smaller teams for practice nights) and went to pass back to Alexander when she heard a whizzing noise go past her head. Grunting as she pushed herself against what quickly tackling her to the ground, she made a loud crunching noise as she hit the ground.   
  
"Lesley, really sorry, it was an accident, I lost my balance on the broom and..." whimpered a largely built Nathaniel, he was as cowardly as a mouse but built like a lion. Lesley rolled off her broom and into the grass.  
  
"It's-OK-Nat-just-get-off!" Lesley insisted, she felt as if every bone in her body was slowly shattering like glass. She rolled over onto her stomach to catch her breath as he stood up. She just needed to catch her breath...  
  
"Riddle, you all right girl?" Alexander asked, landing swiftly on the grass beside her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine Alex, just give me a minute." Lesley said, pushing herself to her feet.   
  
"Maybe we should stop for the night-" Alex had started, but he was interrupted by Lesley.  
  
"No, I'm fine, everyone else is fine, and we've only been her for an hour. No one is going anywhere," she ordered, jumping onto her broom and kicking off.   
  
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"So tomorrow's a big day, Hufflepuff, Slytherin," Sirius said, rubbing Lesley's bare shoulders, the straps to her tank top pushed down as he continued to massage her back, shoulders and neck. She mumbled along, rolling her head from side to side, sore from all of the practicing. They were sitting in the West tower, watching as the sun danced across the sky, waiting for it to go down.   
  
Before Sirius could stop himself he was nibbling at Lesley's neck, kissing her shoulders, almost waiting for her to push him away, but she didn't. Instead she turned herself around, leaving her straps down as she pulled him up to her lips, kissing him (mouth closed) slowly, softly. Just as slowly she opened her eyes, pulling away, breathing softly. Watching him, waiting for his reaction.  
  
He grinned, almost stupidly at her, and she smiled back, pushing him playfully. Pushing her straps back up, she put on her school robes, as she had only taken them off because the weather outside was almost too nice to have it on.  
  
Putting her hand gently inside of his, they walked down the abandoned corridors quietly, only giggling a few times to each other to liven up the place.   
  
"My dear madam, your hands, they are splendid," Sirius joked, grabbing at her hand and planting small kisses on it.   
  
"Oh but my dear misuer, your hands are so lovely," She replied, going at them but stopping when he put his hand to her stomach. She looked at him, nodding slowly as if to say yes.  
  
Moving his hands slowly up to her face, he leaned her into the wall, diving to her lips. Her lips were smooth, luke warm as he touched them with his own. Instantly he felt them warm up, felt as her cheeks blushed with them in his hands. He smiled softly, pulling away only to return to the kiss again.  
  
Lesley's own hands were clinging to his robes, balled up into fists as she pulled him closer to her, so that they were nearly touching chest to chest. Though she knew she could hardly breathe she loved this new feeling, including the suffocating aspects of it. The only thing that felt remotely like this feeling was chocolate, she thought to herself, noticing the similarities. Chocolate had a creamy taste in her mouth, and it made her feel warm all over, making her feel safe. Definitely something like what she was feeling right then.  
  
She opened her eyes suddenly as she felt Sirius pull away from her. Looking up at him, she caught a gaze at why he had pulled away from her. There, standing dumbfounded with his mouth laying agap in such a ridiculous fashion, was James Potter.  
  
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Noticing that she was still clinging onto Sirius's robes, she let go of them immediately, wondering what she would've been doing if she had witnessed them from James's view. Right now he was staring at the two of them, as if glued to the spot. At last it was Lesley who spoke, though it was quiet and mumbled,  
  
"What a bloody way to meet your friend, wouldn't you say?" she saw Sirius smirk and it was then that James finally stepped forward, looking at each of them with sparkling eyes.  
  
"I told you, you'd end up tonguin' it in the corridors," James said, winking at Lesley. Sirius looked at him with glaring eyes, but Lesley didn't mind it, so she laid a hand on Sirius's arm to show.  
  
"So do you plan on paying me in galleons or sickles to keep me from spreadin' what I saw with my little eye tonight?" James inquired, looking at the two stricken faces.  
  
Lesley's face was burning, and she knew it. Before she could stop herself she said, "You say a word and I'll be sure to tell Lily about those photos you keep under your bed," she looked at his horrorstricken face.  
  
"W-what photos would those be?" James asked, glaring at Sirius in the corner of his eye.  
  
"Don't play funny with me, mister, you know exactly what nude pictures I'm talkin' about." Lesley said, smiling innocently as James faltered.  
  
"You wouldn't dare..."   
  
"You would be surprised as to what exactly I would do, Potter," she said, still smiling.  
  
"Fine, fine, I'll keep you two's little secret, but you better not say a word Riddle, not a word," he whispered the last word with such force she could hardly keep from laughing hysterically.  
  
"Good. Sirius," she paused, kissing his cheek mildly, "I better find you rootin' for me tomorrow," and she turned around, walking down the hall with her face lit up with a smile.  
  
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"Whew!" Lesley nearly screamed, her heart felt light as a feather that she had been near skipping to the Slytherin portrait. The common room was filled with people, but she didn't care as the stares burned into her back. Even Lucius was looking at her funny. Running up the stairs to the girl's dormitories she did her own victory dance, snapping her fingers. "I did it, ahuh, ahuh, I'm good, I'm good..." she said, almost forgetting all about her game the next day. Almost.  
  
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Lesley gripped her broom harder, instinctively as she walked onto the field. It was her fourth game on the team, yet still she felt the gooseflesh and lead feeling swimming around her body. And still she didn't like it. Looking around at her players, she realized what an odd team they were. There was Garum and Hunter, the two beaters, both wiry (as they had explained to her when she had gotten onto the team). Then there was Parker, John Parker, a small, grinning fifth year with missing teeth. She couldn't forget Yolks (Haley) and Whimcall (Alexander) and herself, who were the main chasers for the team (Nathaniel, Richie, and Jaine were the replacements), and then there was Ruby Polly, the team's keeper. None of them had a thing in common except that they were all fans of Quidditch and all of them happened to be very good at what they did.  
  
The whistle blew. Both teams rose many feet above the ground, and the stadium went alive with screams and yells out to their fans. Lesley squinted around, looking for the quaffle.  
  
"And the game begins, my friends! The quaffle is passed to Ranger Garry, he passes it to ... and another save by the Riddle, quite a looker she is if I say so myself-ouch! Yes, yes, and back to the game. Riddle passes to Whimcall, who passes it to Yolks and -- it's in! The Slytherins lead by 20 points, Hufflepuffs puffin' back at 0. And this is just the beginning folks!" Jimmy Gypsum announced, a starry eyed twig boy with blonde hair.   
  
Lesley whipped around, diving at one of the Hufflepuff players, who were heading towards her keeper. Pulling up just in time she watched out of the corner of her eye as Polly blocked it, grinning through her missing teeth stupidly. Lesley pulled up her hands and clapped a little, before searching for the quaffle again.  
  
"And Yolks passes to Riddle -- ouch that's gotta hurt -- Riddle gets hit with one of the bludgers in the face, but she's still movin'! Riddle passes to Whimcall, and he passes back to bloody Riddle, and she throws-score!" Gypsum said, eyes glued on the game.  
  
Lesley reached up with one of her hands to protect her nose, the blood was rushing down her cheeks, her lips bleeding as well. Shaking the tears attempting to release, she followed the game once more, and found herself wishing more then ever that her seeker would catch the snitch. Her head was ringing as she caught the quaffle, holding it tight to her waist. The next things to happen happened so fast it was hard to keep her head from spinning.   
  
"Lesley, Lesley..." her father's voice hissed in her head. She paused a moment, but managed to pass the quaffle to Haley before she felt it.   
  
Two bludgers had rammed right into her, one crashing into her right knee and she felt it as it shattered. The other hit her right behind the neck. Her head spinned as she clung to her broom as it began toppling down, down, down. She was gaining speed now, but she felt something rolling down her back-blood, yes, that was blood. Everything was a large blur, and she didn't hear as she screamed from the pain and surprise. She didn't hear the yells from the stadium, and she didn't feel the wind being knocked out of her when she crashed into the ground and everything went black.  
  
"Riddles pauses, whoosh, she passes to Whimcall -- what's this? Two bludgers come out of no where and hit right into Riddle, where are her beaters when she needs them? Whoa, she doesn't seem like she can take this one-- uhoh, Riddles tumbling, she's down!" Jimmy started, looking up to the game once more, but only for a second. "Seems that Hufflepuff took this opportunity -- Gregory Pince catches the snitch! Hufflepuff wins, final score Slytherin 50, Hufflepuff 150," he ended this last sentence with such dullness that the professor next to him might've even slapped him for his ignorance, but no one was listening to him, or looking for the snitch.   
  
All eyes were on the unconscious figure crumpled up on the broom lying on the ground. The stadium went alive with protests and that there should've been some time out to help out Riddle, that it wasn't fair. Sirius rushed down the stands, his mind only racing with one question-was she all right? James, noticing that his friend was about to do something incredibly stupid, rushed down in front of him, grabbing onto his robes and standing him against the wall.   
  
"Don't," James warned.  
  
Sirius glared at him, "She's hurt down there, I can't just let her suffer!"  
  
"There's nothing you can do Sirius, if you go down there now that'll just bring up questions, you have to wait for Pomfrey to deal with her." James said, staring hopefully at Sirius. "Just wait."  
  
Sirius stopped resisting, and glared back at James as he stormed off the field, back into Hogwarts.   
  
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Lesley was raised onto a stretcher, even though Madam Pomfrey had strictly not wanted her moved, ("Who knew how many broken bones she had?") it was the only way to inspect her.   
  
Her cheeks were covered with scratches and blood, both of her eyes blackened. Her jaw looked dislocated, hanging open at quite an odd angle. The back of her neck had a large bruise (going down her neck and to her shoulder blades when Pomfrey had more time to inspect her), and her right leg was covered with such a swelling and inability to move that it had to be broken from the inside.  
  
"She's not breathing, we need to get her to the infirmary now." The Madam ordered, running along side the stretcher.  
  
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A/n: Interesting, short chapter, yes I know. Sorry about the delay, been getting homework done and catchin' up on family issues.   
  
So they had a few smoochies, better be whooping on this one:P (Not to mention reviewing) Yeah yeah, I know I killed it a bit by... umm... well, putting this lightly, slamming Riddle's head into the ground like an orange.  
  
But hey, what can ya' do when the stories just beggin' yah? Expect a long delay on the next chapter, folks. 


	5. In Need Of A Helping Hand

Chapter 5: In Need of a Helping Hand  
  
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Lesley sat bolt upright upon arriving back into consciousness, causing her spine to give her a jolt in protest. Madam Pomfrey, as if sensing her distress, ordered sternly for her to lay back down. Cursing impatiently she did as the healer instructed, laying back down onto the flat hospital bed. One of her lower arms had been put into a cast, she realized, pondering the reason why. Her other arm was in a sling, another muggle use that wasn't common because of the powerful healers in this time and age. Another thing that made her most uncomfortable was her right ear, it was ringing nonstop and made her feel unbalanced, not to mention her head felt the size of a basketball and was pounding horribly.   
  
"Ms. Riddle, it was nice of you to come back to us on such short notice, it's been almost two weeks since you have been awake completely." The Madam said, forcing a smile upon her features as she looked her student over, a bit sadly. "Dumbledore would undoubtably be pleased, not to mention..." she clucked her tongue knowingly, "another young man, though it seems all of the other houses have been concerned as well." she said this last part questioningly, as if thinking Lesley knew the answer.  
  
"Sirius, where is he-" Lesley started, sitting up again only to have a stronger hand to push her back down on the bed.  
  
"Thats enough, Miss. Riddle, or I will have to restrain you myself." She ordered, though Pomfrey's eyes struck through, showing that she wanted nothing of the sort.  
  
Lesley reached up with the hand opposite the one in the sling, grabbing her head, hurt. The Madam swept over immediatly, putting a hand up to Lesley's head, taking it back just as quickly. Muttering to herself, something about, "not again," she left Lesley, who was shaking uncontrolably, sweating all over, and wheezing, to fetch a potion.   
  
"Drink up, come on," she insisted, holding the small goblet up to Lesley's twitching lips, who shook her head slightly, signaling that she didn't want it. Madam Pomfrey, not to be swayed, pouring the contents down her throat as gently as she could, though it was much harder from the shaking and choking ensuing from Lesley.   
  
It took a moment for Lesley to figure out what was happening, and all at once her shaking receeded, and her eyes drooped silently. The figure in front of her became blurry, the room doing soft circles in every direction, and the voices around her became slurred. Her eyelids closed contently, and she fell into a deep sleep.  
  
"What was that?" Dumbledore asked in a low voice, "Did it happen again?"  
  
"Yes, another seizure, I don't understand, Dumbledore." Madam Pomfrey said, confused, "Why isn't my magic helping her? It's like she's immune somehow, and it's scaring me. She isn't doing so well on her own."  
  
"Don't worry, Poppy." Dumbledore said, his eyes dimly twinkling, "I'm sure the answer will turn up somehow. Did you ever get a reply from Ms. Riddle's father?" he asked, tapping his fingers together expectantly.  
  
"Of course, sir. He says that he will be arriving later on today, but Dumbledore-"  
  
"No questions now, Poppy. Send someone to get me when our guest arrives." he interrupted, letting his long robe(beard nearly as long) sweep the stone floor as he exited the room without another word, Madam Pomfrey staring after him, perplexed.  
  
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Lesley glanced around, the fog around her oddly comforting. She looked down at her hands, the ringing in her ear had stopped, it was as if the last few weeks had never existed. She felt the feeling of a dream, but this was better, she didn't want to wake up, not now. Suddenly she stiffened, twisting her neck upwards and looking up at where a ceiling should be.   
  
"Mom?" she asked, meekly, though there was no sign of her anywhere. The hair on her back brissled against her shirt, as a soft, calming wind swept over her. An angelic figure slowly appeared in front of her, and Lesley reached up a hand to her mouth, trying not to gasp in surprise.  
  
Standing in front of her stood a creamy skinned woman with soft colored lips up in a great smile, two dimples the only wrinkles visible on her smooth face. The familiar brown eyes, only now filled with warmth to the brim, looked her daughter over approvingly. A silk white dress stretched out behind her, while the front held up enough just for Lesley to see the long legs and feet adorned with white sandles lying underneath. Her dark brown hair laid on her nearly bare shoulders, one arm hanging by her side.   
  
"Lesley, dear," Rosa's voice resounded, reaching out one of her hands to touch Lesley's cheek, who closed her eyes, a tear slipping down her face.   
  
"Mom, but..." Lesley whispered, eyes snapping open, her brow furrowing. "your, your," she sputtered, looking her over once more, stepping backwards against a wall that had decided to prevent her from going any further.  
  
"Yes..." her mother replied, a bit sadly.  
  
"But... how?" Lesley choked. She couldn't believe that she had been so mad at her mother all this time, and it turned out that she had been dead all along, but for how long, and who had caused it? So many questions, but she could only wait painstakingly for the answers.  
  
"I left you that day, that is something that certainly cannot be forgiven," Rosa paused slightly, smiling sadly to show that she was sorry, "but I came back. It took me a few months, but I came back. I had to make sure I could support the two of us, I wanted you to come and live with me, but I had to leave you somewhere you could be until I could take care of you." looking at Lesley's questioning face she continued, "I'm not surprised that you never knew, as he was none too happy to see me, I must admit. No, he wasn't the one who... did this to me, dear, though it wouldn't be that shocking if he had arranged it. Believe it or not he grew quite attatched to you, even if it doesn't show. I am sorry," she added, accepting the sudden hug that sprung from Lesley's arms.   
  
Planting a small kiss on Lesley's forehead, she lifted her daughter's chin to look her in the eye, "I know you were, or possibly are, still angry with me, but I wanted to let you know, that I always loved you. I never meant to abandon you or make you feel unwanted. You mean the world to me, and still do." Rosa ended, stepping back slowly, her appearence beginning to fade away, "Look me up sometime," she said, her blurry figure smiling softly, until Lesley couldn't see her anymore. Before she could react she was drawn back awake, and almost yelled in surprise on who was standing over her.  
  
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If Lesley had been calm, she would've noticed the sudden lack of pain in both of her arms and the complete deafness of her right ear, but she felt frozen numb as her father looked her over with his cold, comfortless eyes.   
  
"W-what are you doing here?" She whispered, tearing her eyes away from him. He made one of those horrid chuckles, the kind that rattled her bones and made her want to crawl under a boulder and never come out.   
  
"Why, I thought you'd be happy to see me," he replied, smirking at her and closing the curtain around her bed. "no need for an audience." he explained curtly, pulling up a chair next to her.  
  
Lesley flinched unwillingly, pushing herself to the opposite side of the bed, as far as she could go, trying to prevent him from touching her. But he laid a hand on her shoulder anyway, as if just to spite her. "Get your filthy hand off of me," she hissed, glaring at him, "you murdered her! You didn't even tell me that she came back for me, and your the one who caused me to have that accident, aren't you!" she exclaimed, squirming under his touch as he clasped a hand over her mouth.  
  
"Now, now, you are much smarter than I would have thought you to be, but," he paused, clucking his tongue disapprovingly, "such a temper you have, what shall I do with you?" he asked removing his hand from her mouth.  
  
"I hate you," she seathed, knowing that it was obvious but not caring. There was no other way to express this feeling she was... feeling. It was as though someone had just ripped her soul out of her body and was holding it right beyond her reach, just torturing her slowly as it was torn it bit by bit apart, loving every moment of it, while she cried for it to be returned... snapping back to attention she wondered silently why he was here. Who would summon him up at this place, he certainly couldn't have come uninvited, and who would think for even a moment that she would want him here? Dumbledore, she answered to herself, because he's a conniving asshole who loves to stick his old, wrinkled hands into others' bisnesses.  
  
"Awww, my little girl is back," he said sarcastically, pulling a strand from her face, but she smacked it away.  
  
"Get out," she ordered, pointing towards the exit to express her point, but he only laughed.   
  
"I will not." he replied simply, as if there was no more to be discussed about the topic.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey!" Lesley said, loudly, and was glad when a set of feet appeared behind the curtain.  
  
"What is it, Ms. Riddle?" She asked, concerned.  
  
"I'm beat, Madam," Lesley replied, letting her eyes sulk lazily, "I'm really in no shape for visitors, could you please show my father out?" she asked, acting meek and tired.  
  
She nodded her head understandibly, grabbing Tom's elbow and leading him out, with him arguing that he should be able to see his daughter whenever he liked.  
  
Resting her head back onto the pillow, Lesley grunted softly.   
  
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It was nearly another whole week before Lesley started becoming uncomfortable. She couldn't hear a thing through out her whole right ear, and she couldn't sleep without a potion. Her father had finally gone back home, leaving her without any visitors, and she faked sleep whenever Sirius came. He was way too good for her, and he was wasting way too much time with her, she convinced herself.  
  
"Lesley, it's time," Madam Pomfrey said quietly, obviously unnerved by what she was going to have to do.   
  
"Okay," she replied automatically, stepping barefooted onto the chilling floor. Professor Harris had designed a potion specifically to see what was permenantly damaged. That would glow a sickening black, and pain would be sent to those parts of the body, making Lesley terribly apprehensive.   
  
A deep maroon liquid sloshed in the cauldron as Dumbledore dipped a ladle inside it's contents, going back two times before he was satisfied with the amount in the goblet.   
  
Lesley stared at the goblet. It was all silver, except for the gold leaves painted around the rim, and of course the streak of maroon traveling down the side that had missed the cup completely. Unwillingly she reached out, wiping it off and licking it off her thumb. It tasted bitter, but as she swallowed she coughed, as it burned down her windpipe and throat at the same time. If that was how bad it burned when she tasted that much, how was she supposed to drink all of that? She thought to herself, grabbing the goblet and chugging it down, might as well get it over with.   
  
"It will take a few minutes for it to work," she heard a faraway voice, and she stumbled, flinching as two pairs of hands gripped her elbows and brought her straight up. She couldn't see correctly, for when she looked at the people about her all she saw was their bloody bones moving about, and frankly it was scaring her.   
  
She jumped away from them, resting on the cold wall comfortingly. It was wonderfully freezing, and she closed her eyes, willing for the effects of the potion to go away. Suddenly she doubled over, pain seering over the whole of the right side of her head. She grabbed her head with her hands only to have them ripped away by a strong pair of hands.   
  
Lesley heard gasps of surprises, she heard mumbles of discomfort, and she clawed at the ground, hoping for this pain to go away, just go away...  
  
----------------------------------------  
  
"Finally got her to sleep," Lesley heard a familiar voice say, but she couldn't pick it out.  
  
"So it's true?" another voice said, but she knew that one immediatly, without question. Sirius?  
  
"Yes, permanent deafness in the right ear..." the other voice said sadly, and Lesley's breath caught up in her throat. She should've known, she realized.   
  
Waiting until Sirius had left, she quietly got to her feet, changing into her forgotten Slytherin robes. Tugging her wand into her pocket, she left her room, making for the exit, before she was stopped.  
  
"Where are you going, Ms. Riddle?" Madam Pomfrey chastied, but Lesley quietly turned around.  
  
"Unless you can tell me for certain that you can help me, I see no reason that I should remain here, I have been here long enough." she replied, biting her lip and looking the Madam deathly in the eye, leaving her speechless.  
  
Spinning back around Lesley stormed out of the hospital wing.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
If I Am by Nine Days  
  
Lesley walked the edge of the topest ledge on the Quidditch stadium easily enough, but offbalanced. She didn't dare to look down, no, not until she was ready. Putting one foot in front of the other, she walked back and forth on the ledge, one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other, she thought to herself miserably.   
  
She didn't want to go home for this summer, she didn't want to live a life half deaf, she didn't want to live this destructive life of hers. If she fell from here, she was bound to kill herself. She could already picture it in her mind, her father throwing a cocktail party, Sirius hooking up with some beauty in Gryffindor, forgetting all about her, Lucius marrying Sirius's sister, having blonde hair- gray eyed, vicious Slytherin children. Nothing in this life would include her memory, she thought sadly.   
  
Turning, she put her hands up to parallel her shoulders, looking straight ahead. A bird feeling, she thought quietly, wish I could be a bird. This could be it and she didn't even have a ciggar. Oh well, she thought, doing this world a favor is enough.   
  
Suddenly a strong pair of hands wrapped protectively around her waist. It wound around her stomache, it was a wonderful touch, she admitted. She had no objections to this person touching her, simply because she knew who it was.   
  
"What are you doing here," she said softly. His arms tightened,  
  
"Could ask you the same thing," he whispered gently in her left ear. She wondered if he had meant to say it in that ear or if it was just because it was closer. Then it occured to her that it didn't really matter.  
  
"You deserve better." she said flatly, trying to wriggle out of his grasp, but he pulled her closer,  
  
"And I don't want better." he replied, and she bit her lip. That answer had never come to her, she had no retiliation.   
  
"Your too good at arguing," she whined, and she could swear she felt him smile.  
  
"I didn't know we were arguing."   
  
"It's not going to be easy..." she whispered.  
  
"I never said I wanted it to be," he said, picking her up off of the ledge in such a swift movement she felt as light as a feather.  
  
"You just have all the answers, don't you?" she said, smiling slightly.  
  
"Not all of them," Sirius said carefully, but he didn't elaborate.   
  
"I think I'm falling for you," she said quietly, looking up at his great gray eyes covered slightly by his raven hair.   
  
"I think I'm falling for you too." he said, pulling her a bit closer, resting his chin on her head, slowly moving her head upwards, kissing her softly. It was less intense then the previous ones, but Lesley still loved it.   
  
She loved how he saw through all her bars, shook off all the chains she had locked herself into, how he didn't care how screwed up her life was, and always came in the nick of time. She loved his touch, his heat. Hell, she thought, smiling out of the corners of her mouth, she was beginning to seriously think she loved him...  
  
The kiss ended all too fast for Lesley, but she let it go, releasing him and smiling at his face. No matter how smooth his words, he still was a little boy inside, she thought to herself.  
  
---------------------------------  
  
Lesley opened her eyes, looking back at Sirius before looking back at her old broom that didn't look so, old anymore.   
  
"Sirius," she said softly, carefully. She couldn't play Quidditch anymore, it scared her to death, even looking at it made her stomache churn, though a large part of herself longed for her to feel the wind blowing in her face as it always did on a broomstick. He stared back at her, that mischievous grin on his face.  
  
"I'll help you learn again." he insisted, pulling her up to her feet. She looked around the Quidditch field, the green grass slowly returning to the ground. It was mid-March now, her birthday, she reminded herself, rolling her eyes.   
  
"Theres only one broomstick," she pointed out, but his smile only grew.  
  
"Exactly."  
  
------------------------------  
  
Holding his hand in her own, Lesley looked up at him as best she could, as her head was under his chin and melding in with his neck. She was sitting with him up in the empty Quidditch stands, their secret hide-a-way, she supposed. Everything was deserted but she could still feel the pounding of feet rooting for their own teams, the byast announcer keeping score of the game, and she could still see the players hovering high above. Her eyes narrowed at that...  
  
"You know, one time I blew up the kitchen at two in the morning," Lesley said quietly, not knowing any other way to start a conversation. He chuckled,  
  
"I bet that didn't turn out very well, Tom have a fit?" he said, and she smiled.  
  
"I bribed a house elf to take the heat." she explained simply, and the two laughed at the thought of a six year old bribing a tiny house elf.  
  
"You ready?" he asked, stroking some of her bangs out of her face,  
  
"Sure." she said, biting her lip but standing up with him. She let him hold onto the broom as they decended onto the field.  
  
"First," Sirius said, climbing up onto the broom and pulling her up on it in front of him, "you grip the handle like so," he held her hands tightly on the broom, and she scoffed, but let him continue, "and then," he said, changing his accent badly into french, "if you have two people on the broom, the person in back holds onto the fronts waist, like so," and he wound his arms around her, making her chuckle,  
  
"Has anyone ever told you, misuer Black, that you are extremely talented in making examples?" she asked, trying her own french accent, which was, amazingly, better than his.   
  
"I do believe you are the first, young madam," he replied, and continued, but softer and more serious now. "kick off, hard." there was a long silence. Lesley felt her knees go numb, and her eyes went wide. She couldn't do this, she couldn't do this, she couldn't-  
  
"Lesley, I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere," Sirius encouraged, and before Lesley could second guess herself her feet pushed against the ground and they were in the air. For a moment she felt the blissful air across her face, until reality sunk back in.   
  
She looked down at the ground, and she swayed, her blood rushing cold. Even Sirius's urges of encouragement couldn't keep her from freaking. "Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god..." she whispered, shaking. "I can't do this, I can't do this..." she said in defeat, shaking her head over and over again.   
  
"Les, listen to me, it's okay, we're fine-" but before Sirius could finish she was already pushing the broomstick down, and bracing her feet for the hard impact. Pulling up just in time, she grabbed Sirius's hand and pulled him off of the broomstick before he could crash to the ground. Close one.   
  
"that was the best landing I've-" he began, but Lesley threw the broomstick aside, grabbing her knees to her chest and rocking back and forth. She couldn't do this, no, no, no, she couldn't...  
  
"Les," Sirius said, kneeling next to her, "you just landed both of us safely on the ground going at least twenty miles an hour." he said, but she shook her head, talking muffledly through her knees,  
  
"I almost got us killed because I lost it."   
  
"But you didn't," Sirius smiled, but she lifted her head and stared at him.  
  
"I can't do this." he scooted closer to her  
  
"yes you can." he said, tracing her face softly. He was so damn convincing! She thought to herself, and she nodded her head in agreement.  
  
"You did good for today, considering. I think I might even give you a cookie," he joked, and she smiled.  
  
"A big chocolate chipped one?" she asked, before pushing him in the shoulder.  
  
Waiting for a girl like you by Foreigner  
  
"If you want," he said, pulling her ontop of him.   
  
"I think I could settle for a sugar," she said softly, kissing him. Instantly he let her tongue in, allowing her to explore the top of his mouth, before taking action. Resting her lips ontop and below his upper lip, she smiled as he rolled her over, lips trailing down her neck.  
  
She giggled dispite herself, letting her fingers through his great black hair. She didn't mind the wet grass rubbing against her robes, but she did finally move her mouth back ontop of his, then broke away.  
  
"I'll be looking forward to the continuation of this little meeting," Sirius said, grinning. He took his hand out of her hair reluctantly, helping her to her feet.   
  
"You won't be the only one."  
  
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A/n: What have I done? I'm sorry readers, but I couldn't help myself... it's the fluffiest, least sense making chapter I've ever done... but c'mon, it was a good snogging scene... right?  
  
Not that sorry for the delay, since none of you reviewed for me to hurry up. Working on a few other fanfictions and original stories, but it's spring vacation, so I have a lot of time: ).  
  
Oh and, sorry about the whole seizure thing at the beginning, did my best.  
  
No need to tell me that this was written very sketchy-like, because I know this. I've already rewritten this chapter five times and I will not do it again. So deal. 


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